Editorial Conventions

1. Semantic and metrical structure (intrinsic structure)

Stanza in named metre
<lg n="1" met="āryā"/>
I. Āryā
Stanza in metre without a known name
<lg n="2" met="+++++-++-+="/>
II. –––––⏑––⏑–⏓
Verse line
<l n="a">kāritam idan nr̥patinā</l>

kāritam idan nr̥patinā

a
Word divided across verse lines (enjambement)
<l n="a" enjamb="yes">tat-sūnus sakalārāti</l><l n="b">-mada-ccheda-karāyudhaḥ</l>

tat-sūnus sakalārāti-

a

-mada-ccheda-karāyudhaḥ

b

The hyphen at the beginning of the second line is editorial compound segmentation; that at the end of the first line is the display for enjambement.

2. Layout (extrinsic structure)

Beginning of inscribed zone
<milestone type="pagelike" unit="zone" n="A"/>svasti śrī
⟨Zone A⟩svasti śrī

The auto-generated label is based on the @unit and @n of the <milestone> element.

Beginning of surface or zone, with editorial label
<milestone type="pagelike" unit="item" n="N"/><label xml:lang="eng">Northern Doorjamb</label>svasti śrī
⟨Item N: Northern Doorjamb⟩svasti śrī

Editorial labels may be added when the auto-generated label is insufficient.

Beginning of page in copperplate inscription
<pb n="1r"/>svasti śrī
⟨Page 1r⟩svasti śrī

Page numbers always consist of an Arabic number for the plate and r(ecto) and v(erso) for its two faces.

Beginning of line
<lb n="1"/>svasti śrī <lb n="2"/>kōpparakēcari
⟨1⟩ svasti śrī ⟨2⟩ kōpparakēcari

In physical view, line beginnings are shown in new lines.

Beginning of non-hierarchical division (fragment, masonry block, etc.)
<lb n="1"/><milestone unit="block" n="a"/>svasti śrī <milestone unit="block" n="b"/>kōpparakēcari
⟨1⟩ ⟨Block a⟩svasti śrī ⟨Block b⟩kōpparakēcari
Word divided across break
<lb n="1"/>…dhar<lb n="2" break="no"/>ma…
⟨1⟩ …dhar⟨2⟩ma…

Breaks other than line beginnings take the same attribute when they fall inside a word. In physical view, with line beginnings shown in new lines, a hyphen is added at the end of the former line. If the break is between elements of a compound word, the editorial hyphen for compound analysis is at the beginning of the latter line.

3. Palaeographic features

Single symbol representing a number above 9
<g type="numeral">200</g>
200
Symbol interpreted as punctuation
<g type="danda">.</g> ... <g type="dash">.</g>
| ... ~

Display depends on @type.

Symbol interpreted as space filler
<g type="squiggleVertical">§</g>
⌇

Display depends on @type.

Uninterpreted symbol
<g type="floretComplex"/> ... <g type="spiralR"/>
✤ ... @

Display depends on @type.

Small space between words
viditam astu vo <space/> yathā
viditam astu vo _ yathā

“Small” is defined as less than two typical character widths.

Large space between words or semantic units
viditam astu vo <space quantity="3" unit="character"/> yathā
viditam astu vo ___ yathā

The approximate size of the space is recorded in typical character widths.

Space left blank because it was not possible to write in a given spot
mahā<space type="binding-hole"/>rājaḥ
mahā◯rājaḥ

Other values of @type for other reasons of inability to write. The size of these spaces is never encoded.

Space left blank presumably with the intent to fill later
tasmai <space type="vacat" quantity="5" unit="character"/> nāma grāmo dattaḥ
tasmai _____ nāma grāmo dattaḥ

The approximate size of the space is recorded in typical character widths. The size of such spaces must always be encoded.

Space of uninterpreted function
parama-brahmaṇyaḥ <space type="unclassified" quantity="6" unit="character"/> mātā-pitr̥-pādānudhyātaḥ
parama-brahmaṇyaḥ ______ mātā-pitr̥-pādānudhyātaḥ

Size is to be encoded with @quantity and @unit if the space is larger than two typical character widths.

4. Scribal alterations in text

Characters added by premodern scribe
dha<add place="below" rend="mark">rma</add>
dha⟨⟨rma⟩⟩

Attributes specify the locus of insertion and the presence of a scribal mark.

Characters deleted by premodern scribe but still legible
dharma<del rend="strikeout">ma</del>
dharma⟦ma⟧

The manner of deletion is assumed to be erasure; other indications of deletion are encoded in the attribute. If the deleted text is unclear or only tentatively legible, this is encoded and displayed normally (section 5).

Characters deleted by premodern scribe and no longer legible
<del><gap reason="illegible" quantity="1" unit="character"/></del>
⟦[1×]⟧

The manner of deletion may be encoded as above. The number of illegible deleted characters is encoded as in other lacunae (section 5).

Scribal correction
bottun<subst><del rend="corrected">u</del><add place="overstrike">a</add></subst>
bottun⟦u⟧⟨⟨a⟩⟩

The manner of deletion and the locus of addition may be encoded with different attributes.

5. Imperfectly legible text

Unclear reading (characters would be ambiguous outside of their context)
dha<unclear>rma</unclear>
dha(rma)

This is without regard to the degree of damage and used in all cases where a character or vestige that would be ambiguous or illegible without its context is confidently read in context.

Tentative reading
dha<unclear cert="low">rma</unclear>
dha(rma?)

This indicates reduced confidence in the reading, not reduced legibility of the original.

Ambiguous reading with two or more possible alternatives
<choice><unclear>ā</unclear><unclear>o</unclear></choice>
(ā/o)
Lacuna: unknown number of characters irretrievably lost
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
[…]
Lacuna: confidently estimated number of characters irretrievably lost
<gap reason="lost" quantity="3" unit="character"/>
[3+]
Lacuna: tentatively estimated number of characters irretrievably lost
<gap reason="lost" quantity="3" unit="character" precision="low"/>
[ca. 3+]
Lacuna: unknown number of characters illegible, but vestiges are present
<gap reason="illegible" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
[…]
Lacuna: confidently estimated number of characters illegible, but vestiges are present
<gap reason="illegible" quantity="3" unit="character"/>
[3×]
Lacuna: tentatively estimated number of characters illegible, but vestiges are present
<gap reason="illegible" quantity="3" unit="character" precision="low"/>
[ca. 3×]
Lacuna: unknown number of characters (encoded from previous edition that makes no distinction between loss and illegibility)
<gap reason="undefined" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
[…]
Lacuna: confidently estimated number of characters (encoded from previous edition that makes no distinction between loss and illegibility)
<gap reason="undefined" quantity="3" unit="character"/>
[3*]
Lacuna: tentatively estimated number of characters (encoded from previous edition that makes no distinction between loss and illegibility)
<gap reason="undefined" quantity="3" unit="character" precision="low"/>
[ca. 3*]
Lacuna: confidently estimated number of lines
<gap reason="lost" quantity="3" unit="line"/>
[3 lost lines]

Similarly with reason “illegible” and “undefined”

Lacuna: tentatively estimated number of lines
<gap reason="lost" quantity="3" unit="line" precision="low"/>
[ca. 3 lost lines]

Similarly with reason “illegible” and “undefined”

Lacuna: unknown number of lines
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="line"/>
[unknown number of lost lines]

Similarly with reason “illegible” and “undefined”

Lacuna affecting only part of an akṣara
<seg type="component" subtype="body"><gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="component"/></seg>ā
t<seg type="component" subtype="vowel"><gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="component"/></seg>
[.]ā t[.]

Similarly with reason “illegible” and “undefined”

Lacuna in verse with known prosody
<seg met="+++-++"><gap reason="lost" quantity="6" unit="character"/></seg>
[–––⏑––]

Similarly with reason “illegible” and “undefined”

Lacuna confidently restored by editor
dha<supplied reason="lost">r</supplied>ma
dha[r]ma

Similarly with reason “undefined”, but NOT with reason “illegible”. If vestiges are present, a restoration is to be shown as an unclear reading. The basis of restoration may be encoded with @evidence.

Lacuna tentatively restored by editor
dha<supplied reason="lost" cert="low">r</supplied>ma
dha[r]ma

Similarly with reason “undefined”, but NOT with reason “illegible”. If vestiges are present, a tentative restoration is to be shown as a tentative reading. The basis of restoration may be encoded with @evidence.

Lacuna with differently treated parts
<gap reason="illegible" quantity="10" unit="character" precision="low"/><seg met="+++-++"><gap reason="illegible" quantity="6" unit="character"/></seg><supplied reason="lost">abc</supplied>
[ca. 10×][–––⏑––][abc]

6. Editorial intervention

Non-standard lexicon or spelling
<orig>dhamma</orig>
¡dhamma!
Non-standard lexicon or spelling normalised by the editor
<choice><orig>dhamma</orig><reg>dharmma</reg></choice>
¡dhamma!⟨dharmma⟩
Erroneous or unintelligible original
<sic>dharva</sic>
¿dharva?
Erroneous or unintelligible original corrected by the editor
dhar<choice><sic>v</sic><corr>m</corr></choice>a
dhar¿v?⟨m⟩a
Text omitted by scribe and restored by the editor (editorial addition)
dha<supplied reason="omitted">rma</supplied>
dha⟨rma⟩
Text omitted by the scribe and not restored by the editor
catvāriṁśat samā<seg met="-="><gap reason="omitted" quantity="2" unit="character"/></seg>
catvāriṁśat samā[⏑⏓]

Unrestored omissions tend to occur in metrical text, since without a known prosodic pattern it is hard to be certain that something was omitted unless the editor also knows what it was. But the same encoding may also be used without <seg> and @met, and also with @extent="unknown" instead of @quantity.

Superfluous text engraved by scribe (e.g. dittography) and suppressed by the editor
dharma<surplus>ma</surplus>
dharma{ma}
Punctuation or avagraha supplied to clarify editorial interpretation
so <supplied reason="subaudible">’</supplied>dharmaḥ<supplied reason="subaudible">.</supplied>
so [’]dharmaḥ[.]

7. Editorial markup in translations and commentary

Text in language other than the surrounding text, modern language written in Latin script
<foreign xml:lang="fra">vis-à-vis</foreign>
vis-à-vis
Text in language other than the surrounding text and the primary language of the edition, modern or premodern language transliterated from non-Latin script
<foreign xml:lang="tel-Latn">cuvikaṇṭhi-</foreign>
cuvikaṇṭhi-
Explanatory insertion in translation
Kantacēṉaṉ <supplied reason="explanation">Skt. Skandasena</supplied>
Kantacēṉaṉ (Skt. Skandasena)
Tentative explanatory insertion
the Raṭṭa lord <supplied reason="explanation" cert="low">Amoghavarṣa I</supplied>
the Raṭṭa lord (Amoghavarṣa I?)
Corresponding original word inserted in translation
Temple <supplied reason="explanation"><foreign>tēvakulam</foreign></supplied>
Temple (tēvakulam)
Words inserted into translation for clarity or syntactical correctness
Fiftieth <supplied reason="subaudible">year</supplied> of Nantippōttaracar
Fiftieth [year] of Nantippōttaracar
Words tentatively inserted for clarity or syntactical correctness
<supplied reason="subaudible" cert="low">The donee</supplied> has been allocated a residence
[The donee?] has been allocated a residence
Unintelligible segment in the original
<gap reason="ellipsis"/>
…

Usually followed by the original segment in <supplied reason="explanation"><foreign></foreign></supplied> and optionally also by an explanatory note.

Untranslated segment
<gap reason="ellipsis"/>
…

Followed by a note explaining why this text has not been translated.

Alternative translation of bitextual phrase (śleṣa)
who is attended by mercy as Droṇa <seg rend="pun">is followed by Kr̥pā</seg>
who is attended by mercy as Droṇa {is followed by Kr̥pā}